Advance Wars: First Strike
by Razgriz
Summary: In the year 2253 Wars World begins what may be its final battle...Chapter 8 now up, this one gives the story a new turn, as things get complicated for our heroes!
1. History Lesson

**Mobius 13 Presents: **

**Advance Wars: First Strike**

_January 15, 2253_

War is something of the past. It has been for 20 years. Because 20 years ago the world realized it had been turned upside-down as nations splintered and fought each other like crazed beasts, unknowing of what they were doing for 30 years. The world had become a desolate playground for weapons of death. But now the world has begun to heal, greenery returning to brown and blackened landscape. Rubble became foundations, foundations became buildings. The world was once again at peace. And after 20 years, it would appear that peace would last forever…

**Advance Wars: First Strike**

**Chapter 1: History Lesson**

**A Dark History**

Wars World. The name of the world we live on. Its history has been shaped by countless wars between nations. This war was no different. 50 years ago, two nations, Blue Moon and Green Earth, were facing each other in a sort of cold war over their borders on the Bankan Sea. They sent threats and created a naval blockade around their nations. Yellow Comet and Orange Star pushed for peace, but their cries were ignored. Then, on December 7, 2203, an Orange Star fleet was annihilated by a joint GE and BM assault. The claim was that the OS fleet had pushed through both blockades without the proper ID signals. GE and BM both argued over who finished off the intruders, and who would take the blame. The next day, BM was hit by a nuclear weapon that wiped out one of their major cities. GE also was struck by rebels claiming to be from BM. Both countries now faced each other in war, showing no mercy towards their foe.

Despite repeated peace talks and negotiations with OS and YC, BM and GE continued to strike at each others' throats. No advances were made until OS and YC made a decisive pact to not help either nation economically or politically. In effect, OS and YC locked out BM and GE from the world. The people of the two nations were split. Without action, the war would drag on forever. By fighting, the war would be short but deadly. This caused OS to face a rebel coup on September 11, 2208. The country of Red Star arose in its place, and the OS pacifists were sent to live on a small peninsula to the south of the RS-BM border. The YC government also was defeated by their aggressor countrymen on February 14, 2209. The new government, Yellow Sun, pushed pacifists to the northern territories and sent troops to BM and GE.

By August 30, 2225, the war had been dragging on and on due to stalemates. Accusations and suspicion led each nation to believe that the world was the enemy. OS and YC were tired of war by then, and had ostracized themselves from the world. A new nation calling itself the United States of Evangelon Alliances was formed north of RS. This nation had fought for independence from OS for many years, and when OS was defeated, USEA began to create a constitution. After their constitution was completed, the USEA then began to form defensive barriers and a defensive military force. They had seen the world collapse many times, and nothing would be accomplished with more hatred and war. USEA was now the prime peace advocate.

On December 7, 2228, another new nation was formed. This new nation called itself the New Order of Valance Alliance Republics, or NOVA. This nation was headed by Jack Valance, among three other high-ranking military leaders of each aggressor nation. NOVA, along with USEA, revitalized peace talks and got OS and YC involved. By now, each nation was beginning to slow down in their war efforts. But RS, the nation with the most advanced war machines, favored one last strike.

Red Star attacked the defenseless NOVA nation in the middle of the Core Ocean, which is the ocean that separates the great landmasses. NOVA defenses rested largely on an air force with outdated planes and a rusting navy. RS gained four NOVA islands, but was forced to withdraw upon facing NOVA's new Behemoth (a battleship) and the Rising Star (an aircraft carrier). RS also invaded Evangelon, but was defeated when the island defenses wouldn't fall. BM, YC, and GE all stopped combat operations as well.

On July 4, 2233, all eight nations of the world signed a peace pact, stating that they would no longer use war to solve their disputes. The world was at peace once again. The economic costs of the war were in the multi-trillions. The human costs were two billion dead, 3 billion wounded. The natural costs couldn't be calculated. The landscapes of the coastlines and the RS-BM border were charcoal for a grand barbecue of human flesh, smothered with oil. The nuclear weapons being developed were sealed away in deep bunkers. The horrors of the war would never again be seen…

**Recovery (Andrew)**

_January 15, 2253_

My name is Andrew Andrews. Odd name, but I'm not arguing. I'm 25, quite handsome, still single. I live in a refugee camp called Recovery. It is one of the hundreds that Orange Star set up to house the people who were lost during the war. This is the last one they built. I helped in the construction, having been lost myself. My parents died of poisons in the dirty water and old bread we had to eat. They would give me the best portions and the cleanest sips. I never realized it until they died.

But that is the past. I don't like the past. The memories that are etched in my head are never happy. I don't recall ever having a warm bed or the feeling of good food in my stomach until I came to Recovery. Now I have a comfortable (but not warm) bed, and healthy (but not always good) food. And there's Ms. Hakari, the young woman who lives across the lane from me. She's 25, like me, and has beautiful jet black hair down to her shoulders. She's a little short, maybe 5'3", and has a nice pair of, uh, well...she has the cutest lips and nose, and her eyes are a sparkling green, like the emerald plains that once spread everywhere across Orange Star! And she's from Yellow Comet, the other nation that was overthrown.

Anyway, Recovery is a small refugee camp. It spans about 55 acres, with 50 acres for small farms. The other five acres contain single family houses made of patchwork materials and the city hall, police station, fire station, library, and the farmer's market. The homes are quite unique, despite being structurally the same, and having the same layout for each house. Each house looks rather slipshod on the outside, with patches of mud, brick, and wood showing all over the houses, but inside is nice and cozy. You can look at all the houses on the block and never find two with the same outside. There are 100 houses here, so that's a lot of variety!

Recovery is very peaceful, with rolling hills and no major roads. I like the serenity here. It's a change from my childhood of loud explosions and the death cries of soldiers. I hate that memory…

**Place of Peace (Hakari)**

Konnichiwa, my name is Hakari Hachiyama. I used to live in Yellow Comet, the nation that was overthrown by Yellow Sun, a more aggressive nation. I lived there with my older brother until I was ten; by then, he was dead. I slept in the streets with only rags to keep me warm. I lived like that for three years; my brother died in the year 2238, and the calendar on the ship to Orange Star was dated 2241.

One day I heard a man speaking of a nation that was creating homes and jobs for people like me; people who had lost all during the war. The man was talking to a crowd of people in the devastated town square. He openly wore a military outfit. He was from Orange Star, another nation that lost its power during the war. He had a comforting smile, one that hid the pain of seeing his comrades die. I saw it in his eyes as he cheerfully spoke of Orange Star's refugee camps. I never saw that man again. I boarded a ship to Orange Star easily; the captain turned down nobody.

One month later I saw the land of Orange Star myself. The verdant land slowly rose from the blue sea, bringing hope to the people on board the ship. We docked in a hustling port town, but the sights there would be quick—our destination would be one of the ten camps being prepared. I signed up for the one that was called "Recovery". The name stuck out as a place where I could heal the wounds inflicted by the war. I was right.

Recovery was small, but very peaceful. There were many farms, and about one hundred houses. I was only 13, so I was placed in a sort of orphanage where a kind old lady and her husband watched over us. I spent five years there; when I was 18 I moved to one of the vacant houses. It was pretty simple, only the basic needs: kitchen, bed, washroom, and a den. The houses to either side were empty, but across the street lived a young man by the name of Andrew Andrews.

Andrew is quite odd. He has silver hair and red eyes. He is a little taller than me and has a very fit look to him. He wears a mechanic's outfit a lot, probably because he's a mechanic and that's the only clothes he has. I don't mind; it gives him that look of a man with strong character. He seems to have trouble focusing around me. He often stumbles with his words and stares blankly at my eyes. I like him a lot; despite his little social problem, he's very kind and tries his best to get others to be happy.

I work at the Recovery library. I like books; they give me a sense of happiness. I think it might be the general aura of Recovery, enhanced by the content of the books. My favorite is a book without a title. The pages inside are worn out, so it's hard to read it sometimes. There are many pictures, beautifully drawn but fading. The head librarian let me keep it, especially since it was in no condition to be in circulation. I keep it safe near a fading picture of my brother and parents. It seems that the past is slowly slipping away from us. In Yellow Comet, the past is an integral part of the future; without the past, the future is clouded by mistakes repeated over and over. When the past and future are placed together, one can create a future where they forge a new path, using their full soul to make the right decisions and keep their mind clear.


	2. War

**Chapter 2: War**

**One Day at a Time (Andrew)**

_Thursday, January 15, 2253; 10:00 A.M._

_Camp Recovery, OS; 50W, 50S_

It was just another average day. At 8:00 I woke up, got breakfast ready, ate, went to the toilet, and got ready for work. No sooner had I put up my sign than an old man stopped by to get his toaster fixed. It had an old spring that needed replacement, so all I had to do was find one among my stockpile of various metal parts. There was a whole bunch in a box, but only one that fit. I made a mental note to stop by the hardware store on Sunday. Quickly popping out the old spring and replacing it with the working one took about ten minutes. The old man sure was happy. He said that the toaster had been acting strangely for a week now, but today the toaster just didn't work. As he left, he dropped five dollars in my hand. I said that it was free, but he insisted. He chuckled and said that money wasn't useful where he was going. I kind of frowned and smiled at the same time. That old man sure had a sense of humor about death.

But he was the only customer so far. I languished on my front step, tinkering with some spare parts. I was trying to make a working radio, but I was missing the wires that received the radio waves. I didn't have any of those in my spare parts bin. That's when Ms. Hakari stopped by. She smiled brightly and asked if I wasn't too busy. Of course, I was never too busy for her…Anyway; she asked me to help her repair her radio, which was on the fritz again. Like I said, I'm never too busy to help her…

**First Strike**

_Thursday, January 15, 2253; 10:05 A.M._

_OS-RS border; 100W, 50S_

A young guard sat quietly at his little guard station. He intently analyzed the daily paper. There was nothing better to do anyway. The young man came from the OS Border Patrol camp, 60 miles east of his location. His eye saw something flash red in the distance. He turned his head to look at the sight. What he saw made his eyes bug and he fell backwards on his chair, falling to the ground. He grasped his radio and frantically fumbled with the frequency. He stammered and bubbled with fear as the approaching tank filled his vision. The Red Star tank fired.

**Shattered Peace (Andrew)**

Ms. Hakari's radio is an antique. She got it from one of the rummage sales Recovery holds often. It's about 6" by 4", and about 3" tall. Not very big and contained simple wiring. I couldn't see anything wrong on the outside, and on the inside, everything appeared to be fine. I took it outside to my porch to fiddle around with it. It took me about five minutes to figure out the speakers were busted and rust had inhabited most of the metal parts. But the wires that received the radio signals were pretty intact. I thought for a bit, pondering whether to replace the damaged parts or take the wires and use them on my radio. I asked Ms. Hakari if it was okay to use the wires on my radio and give that one to her. She nodded, her bright green eyes filled with curiosity. I carefully removed the wires and hooked them up to the patchwork radio I had made. Instantly music from the nearby city station came clearly out of the radio. I smiled, realizing that I should've saved the batteries for last. I picked up my little contraption, which turned out to be a little larger than her old one, and handed it to her. She would've taken it, if not for what came out of the box next.

"This is reporter Daniel Walsh, reporting live for OSNC! We are under attack! I repeat we are under attack! Red Star tanks and planes have attacked our outlying bases and!"

The man's desperate voice was silenced by a deafening explosion. Static filled the air.

"…No way…That's not possible!" I stammered, carefully setting down the radio. I shook at the thought of a tank shell ripping that poor reporter to pieces. I saw it so vividly this time—I thought I had purged my memory of my nightmares. S.

**Shattered Peace (Hakari)**

Mr. Andrew quietly set down the radio. He shook and rocked back and forth on the lawn.

"Um…Mr. Andrew? Are you going to be okay?" He seemed to not hear me. I spoke a little louder, tapping his shoulder. "Mr. Andrew?"

He looked up at me as I said that. His face was contorted, almost inhuman as he tried to stop tears and a scream from exploding from his body. I saw in his eyes that something was hidden deep in his soul—something that should be let free. He pointed, and covered his mouth. I saw only a house where his finger was pointing to, but I smelled the fresh vomit on the lawn. My house had a phone. I ran inside and called the police.

_10:30 A.M._

_Recovery Hospital_

Mr. Andrew lay in a sterile spring bed. There was a needle in his arm attached to a bag of fluid. The nurse said that it was called an IV, which would send nutrients directly to his bloodstream. The nurse said it would be okay for me to watch him for about five more minutes, but then I would have to leave so the doctor could check up on him. Currently the doctor was checking on an old man who was having heart attack.

"Hakari…?" Andrew's eyes opened slowly. His voice indicated he was tired. He rasped out another word, then two more short ones: "Where…am…I?"

"You're in the hospital. You collapsed and threw up. I was worried." Somehow that last part came out funny. It was odd, like something you say reflexively. It had no meaning at all.

"Ugh…I…What…" He struggled to get up, but I restrained him. "Weak…can't…move…" He opened and closed his eyes, his breathing heavy. "Fire…Boomboom…Mommy…Daddy…they're…"

He grasped by sleeve, bringing me closer. I felt uncomfortable; his eyes had a glazed, scared look.

"Andrew…" He let go of my sleeve and drifted off to sleep. I gently slipped his arm over his chest, and left as the doctor entered.

Home felt cold. I picked up my book next to the picture of my family. I flipped through the familiar pages, hoping to find some of the warmth that the book once gave me. The story unfolded in my mind as the pages flipped by.

"Upon a plain, surrounded by bountiful farmland and a quiet forest, there was a splendid and majestic city. The people in the city were of all different shapes, sizes, and had many different cultures. They would gather together in the market or the city square and be merry.

But the world they lived in would not be as joyous as they were. A dark cloud of destruction broiled outside, created by one of the great demons of the time: The Demon Azrael. The demon Azrael sent the cloud everywhere, and it caused great despair and pain to those it touched.

The demon Azrael then set its sights upon the majestic city. But he saw the different peoples in the city. He decided that he would have some fun with these different people. He took a piece of his existing cloud and shaped it together with the despair, pain, and suspicion from the things he had destroyed. He then blew the puff of cloud over the city.

The people never noticed the dark cloud arrive. They still chatted jovially and simply wondered if it would rain. After all, the outside world had never before contacted such an isolated city. They never knew of the dangers the cloud possessed.

Over time, the cloud grew very little, feeding off of small incidents that were quickly resolved. A bit of anger there, a dash of sadness here, in one month the cloud had grown about one millimeter all around. Too slow for Azrael.

Azrael stirred his deepest, darkest powers and poured his malice into his new dark cloud. Lightning and thunder and rain and cold were poured down upon the majestic city. People fled in fear. They would cower and cry and pray and despair. The Azrael smiled and laughed at their hopelessness.

But then a ray of light pierced the cloud. The Azrael was shocked that such a preposterous thing could happen. What was this amazing miracle?"

I stopped there. The rest of the pages were faded or gone. But I could see part of the next picture. Two people stood beside each other, as the light surrounded them. I sat quietly, wondering how the story would end. The noon sun shone brightly overhead. But I felt as if the sun would never rise again.

The next day, the President of Orange Star declared war upon the nation of Red Star.


	3. Training

**Chapter 3: Training**

**Moving (Hakari)**

_Sunday, January 25, 2253; 8:00 P.M._

_OS Recovery Barracks, 50W, 50S_

I lay in my bed, wondering about the men and women fighting on the front lines. Red Star is known for being merciless in its attacks. I prayed that both sides would not suffer many losses.

A woman entered the barracks and jumped on the bed beside me. Sarah is 25, one of the children who were at the orphanage at the same time I was. She loves to help people, and when she was young she had the habit of going up to strangers and complimenting them on what they wore or how they looked. She always smiled, then, and she still smiles all the time even now.

"Whew. Being a medic is tough work! Ah…I feel so tired." She stretched out on her bed. "What about you? Being the only pilot, you must get special training, eh?"

"Humph. Not really. I go through all the basic exercises normal pilots do. Besides, we're all taking crash courses. Orange Star has been really relaxed about its military." I stretched out on my bed as well, preparing for sleep to overcome me.

"You speak English very well now." She chuckled. "At first you understood only Japanese, and you spoke it so well!" She smiled brightly again. "Omoidasu desu ne?"

"Hai. Sukoshi…" I blushed. I had almost forgotten all of my home language. I didn't need to use it here, so it kind of gradually slipped away. "Ah, I feel really tired. G'night."

Sarah giggled, closed her eyes, and responded with a quiet "Oyasuminasai."

Tomorrow the camp would move out to the front lines…

**Moving (Andrew)**

"What? Tomorrow? I barely got this baby working!" I rolled out from under the F-5F I was repairing. It was the fighter the trainee pilot used. It was the only plane in the camp, so I took special care of it.

"Yeah, tomorrow. Sure you can handle this? After all, you spent a whole day in the hospital." David, the nearby mechanic, sipped a soda and peeked at me from the brim of his hat.

"Heck, I'm tough. No need to worry 'bout me." I tossed a dirty rag his way. He caught it with his free hand. "I'm tough. I can handle it."

"Sure…with a screw loose in your head, I'm sure you can keep yourself together on the battlefield." He suddenly turned serious. "I've seen the way Red Star fights. Merciless, bloodthirsty maniacs. They kill whoever gets in their way."

I shied away from his dark shadow as he said that. David was about 30, five years older than me. He used to live in Red Star, but moved to Orange Star about the same time Recovery was built. He knew Red Star's policies like the back of his hand.

"Hey, you two. Get some rest. Early start tomorrow." Colonel Roberts walked by. He is the head mechanic for our department. Basically he knew every vehicle, plane, and mechanic in the Recovery Camp. Not like there were many planes or mechanics. Just him, David, and me. A lot of people were foot soldiers, a few medics, and one pilot. I wondered who the pilot was. One week of military work had kept me from meeting anybody outside the mechanics department.

I walked over to my makeshift bed in the corner of the hangar. The barracks were full, so I just covered up with a blanket on a cot that David gave me. I'm used to the cold, hard floor. It was where I lived for five years. I hate the past. I didn't have anything to pack for tomorrow anyway. The only thing I needed in life was back at Recovery. Hakari passed through my mind as a beautiful flower, sparkling against the summer sun. I smiled, and drifted off to sleep.

_Monday, January 26, 2253; 7:00 A.M._

_Recovery Barracks_

Everyone was frantically gathering up their gear for the long plane and copter ride to Border City, the defensive position OS troops were firmly entrenched at. The civilians had fled the city at the start of the war 11 days ago. They were packed into the capital or Marina, OS's local port city.

I sat comfortably on the mechanic's chopper, reading about the F-5F. I was placed in charge of the plane by Colonel Roberts. The controls were simplified, and weapons were limited to AA missiles and machine guns. Looked easy to fly as well. I didn't notice the chopper lift off; I was too busy reading. But I noticed the ground had begun to flash by, and I looked out at the green fields that zipped by. I don't remember seeing anything as verdant as those fields. The next time I would see them, they would be covered with craters and mines…

**Arrival (Hakari)**

_Monday, January 26, 2253; 12:00 P.M._

_Border City, OS; 80W, 50S_

The fighter I flew in was superb. Although having simplified controls, it was very nimble and showed the mechanic took great pride in a simple plane. It shone brightly in the mid-day sun. I wish I could meet the mechanic and tell him "Thank you". It's part of my culture to thank someone for being so considerate.

I touched down at the airfield and was instructed to put my plane in the hangar and report to Captain Emmel Barkley. Mr. Barkley would be the squad leader and my CO during air operations. There was one other pilot with the Captain. First Lieutenant Kira Mitchells was the Captain's trusted wingman. She would stick to the Captain's side on land and air. One rumor even said that they were engaged. I never found out whether or not it was true. At 1:00 P.M., I took to the skies for the first time.

_5:00 P.M._

I barely noticed my plane touching down. Inside I was screaming. I dropped out of the cockpit and threw my helmet off. The stench of vomit reached my nose. My vomit. I felt a man's hand on my shoulder. It felt familiar. I turned and saw Andrew's face.

"Mr. Andrew!" He helped me to my feet. Captain Emmel and another mechanic also came close.

"Grave! You gonna be all right?" The mechanic pulled out a flask as the Captain stared intently into my eyes. "I know it's rough, but you have to learn to take it. Roberts has some stuff for ya."

The mechanic, Roberts, handed me the flask. "Drink this. It'll give you some of your strength back." I took a deep sip. Sake. He had given me sake.

"Stuff is potent. A good year for Yellow Comet. Take it; I keep the stuff for rookies like you." Roberts chuckled. "It's good for regaining your mind. Yellow Comet saying."

"Thank you." I handed him back the flask.

"You don't have to give it back; you should keep it, in fact. The characters on the side are for good luck."

I looked on the side of the flask. Running down the 1" long side were two large characters. One was "Luck". The other was "Life".

"Thank you…" I looked up, but Roberts and Emmel had already left. Andrew was examining the plane.

"Hpmh. Didn't expect to see you here, Ms. Hakari. By the way, why did Captain Emmel call you 'Grave'?" He didn't look at me as he said that, but his cheeks were red.

I blushed as well. "My name…'haka' is 'grave' in Japanese." I drew the characters in the dirt. "You could write my name as 'scale', but that's only if you want to insult me." I drew another character, and then erased it with my hand. "Besides…I got the most kills."

"Really?" Andrew turned his head at my little statement. His eyes were a mix of joy and sorrow. He felt joy that I had done so well on my first battle, but he also felt sad for those who died because of my actions. "I…don't know what to say…"

"You don't have to say anything. I can see it in your eyes. You give away too much with your eyes." I saw him look away, so I smiled. "Uh…Let's get my plane fixed. Tomorrow's going to be a long day!"

The stench of my vomit had vanished, replaced by the smell of exhaust. At least exhaust didn't come from my own belly.


	4. A New Hero

**Chapter 4: A New Hero**

**Lovely Rose (Andrew)**

_Monday, January 26, 2253; 5:30 P.M._

_Border City, OS; 80W, 50S_

I watched Hakari put her plane into the hangar. The engines stopped, and the cockpit opened. She climbed gracefully out of her metal bird.

"Take good care of it." She smiled. "I know you will." Hakari stared into my eyes. I looked away. I didn't want her to read me. It felt uncomfortable, being told I was hiding something. I was.

"I'll see you again later tonight." She waved, and left. I sat down, relieved. She didn't seem to ask about my hospital stay…

David walked by, looking worried.

"Yo, you gotta come help me out here. We just got another plane, but it has to have some stuff fixed up. Too much for me and Colonel. Mind helping us out?"

I chuckled. "I don't got a choice now, do I?" I stretched and grabbed a toolkit. "In a bit, I have to check out this plane first."

"Okay, you check out your baby." David smirked. "Don't be so shy. Just let her know how you feel." He patted me on the back and brought his lips close to my ear.

"_You can't screw up with a hot babe like that_." He drew back and left.

"Huh. Whatever." He didn't hear me, but I had to reassert the image of a white house in the middle of lush green pastures. That would be the dream home where Hakari and I would live out the rest of our lives, together.

_6:13 P.M._

Air raid sirens were ringing loudly. Enemy aircraft soared overhead. Bombs sent men and machinery flying everywhere. I smelled the blood of the dead private next to my hiding place. Hakari and the other two pilots were fending off the attack. I was too scared to even save myself.

I hid from the loud noises and death and screams behind a destroyed wall. But they still reached my ears…Even 20 years later…They reached me.

"Mommy…Daddy…They're coming…" I cried and cried, but Mommy and Daddy had drifted off into eternal sleep. I peeked through the crack in the wall. It was big enough for my head to go through. I didn't venture outwards, though. Inside was safe, outside was death. I was five, and I knew that deep inside.

A tank rolled by as men stomped beside it. Their footsteps drove my ears insane, the rolling gears and crunching of debris resounded in my little skull. Then…

I stared at the sky. A plane burst into flames and fell from the sky. The orange glow made it look like an Orange Star plane. Hakari's plane. Two more fell. They all looked the same. All Hakari. All death. All alone…

**Courage (Andrew)**

_Monday, January 26, 2253; 6:15 P.M._

_Border City, OS; 80W, 50S_

All alone…

No…Not alone. Not now. I wouldn't die alone. I would die with her!

I leapt from my hiding spot behind the wall. I ran for the hangar, where there would be one more plane. A damaged plane, but a plane nonetheless. I found it, in the only hangar not destroyed. It looked new, but it didn't have any missiles. But it could fly.

I climbed into the cockpit. Ignition…ignition…I flicked the switch, which didn't work. Grabbing a screwdriver and prying off the cover took me no thought. I didn't even remember starting the plane. But I saw the runway, and then the sky.

**Courage (Hakari)**

"They're gonna wipe us out!" I yelled as bombs exploded on our AA batteries and tanks. Their earlier attack failed, because we had destroyed so many ground targets. Now we were tired, flew damaged planes, and had less ammunition to fend off enemy planes that were superior to our model.

"Grave! Break off and engage!" Captain Emmel banked sharply and bounced an enemy fighter with some machine gun fire. The plane burst into flames and plummeted to the ground.

"Roger!" I split off, firing guns at the radar blip in front of me. Another enemy down. Kira had got one as well. Only 13 more fighters and 10 bombers.

"Hey! Look at the hangar!" Captain Emmel was surprised by another F-5F slowly coming out of the only undamaged hangar. "Who the hell is that?"

"I don't know! All the non-combat personnel are supposed to be gone! Who?" Kira yelled over the radio as well, desperately evading an enemy fighter's shots.

"Hey! You there! Don't do it! You're gonna end up dead!"

"I'm not going to die! Not alone!" Andrew's voice was unnaturally strong. His plane was soon at our altitude. Fighters rapidly gained on him.

"SHIT! YOU'RE NUTS!" Captain Emmel flipped around and shot down one of Andrew's pursuers. "FIGHT IF YOU WANT TO LIVE!"

"I'M NOT GOING TO DIE!" Andrew roared again, firing his guns at the bomber ahead of him. The plane released a bomb, but the gunfire struck it. The enemy bomber exploded as its cargo sent ripples of destruction through it. Andrew's first kill.

"Lucky." Captain Emmel whistled. "But here's how it's done!" He banked and launched a missile at an oncoming foe. The Red Star pilot was dead instantly as the missile shattered his cockpit. The enemy was dwindling rapidly now. AA fire from the retreating ground forces and our planes reduced the enemy quickly. But one was persistent.

"Heh. You all are very good. Worthy foes. I'll enjoy killing you all!"

"Who the hell?" Captain Emmel scanned the darkening sky.

"Farewell, enjoy your trip to HELL!" Twin streaks of fire shot from a dark shadow, seeking to impale my plane. The missiles almost grazed my plane's exhaust. Someone got in the way of the reaper's hand, sacrificing their life for mine.

Captain Emmel's plane fell from the sky and burst into a million pieces, raining them onto the destroyed runway. Captain Emmel's voice vanished forever into the night.

"…" Kira returned no sign of emotion. Night had come, and we were three planes alone in the dark shadow. There were no other blips on the radar.

"Angel Squadron, are you there? Angel Squadron, respond!"

"This is Angel 2. Angel 1 is gone. And we have one more…" First Lieutenant Kira looked back at Andrew's plane. He was following me with in a shaky pattern. He whimpered a little, and started to cry.

"Heading for Marina AB. Angel 2, out." Kira opened up our channel and shut off the HQ's. "You there, Kid. Stay with us, we got a long flight ahead."

"I…I…Roger." Andrew flew closely behind me, and I followed Kira. Together we made our way to Marina Airbase, 1200 miles west of Border City.

**Respite (Andrew)**

_Wednesday, January 28, 2253; 7:05 A.M._

_Marina AB, OS; 60W, 50S_

I excited blurted my story to David and the Colonel. I recounted my crazed firing at the bomber and striking an enemy fighter. It was a complete change from when I landed. I almost crashed. For a first flight, I had done pretty well. My hands still shake when I get into a plane. Colonel Roberts looked at me oddly after my story had been complete. He then smiled, and patted me on the back.

"Good job, son. You seem to be good at whatever you do." Colonel Roberts left; his mind on something else.

"Hey, now I'm all alone with that guy! Oh man, I'm gonna get chewed out now!" David panicked and grabbed some tools. "They say you're going to be a pilot now. Just gotta give you the proper training, I guess." He hurried off.

I sat back on the workbench and looked at the beat-up old plane that I would call my own. It could fly, but needed a new ignition switch and a weapons system, other than machine guns. The next battle would be fierce, and Orange Star would need everything they could muster.

Hakari walked by the hangar and sat down beside me. We watched the rising sun together, in silence. I wished that this moment could last forever…


	5. Sacrifices

**Chapter 5: Sacrifices**

**Blitz (Hakari)**

_Friday, January 30, 2253; 12:00 P.M._

_OS Front; 61W, 49.5S_

Once again, the ground streaked past my cockpit. Andrew and Kira were engaging enemy planes. I sent bombs screaming down to kill Red Star infantry and vehicles. I no longer threw up when the men below me were splintered by a blast. The sight of blackened metal and skeletons were natural. The once beautiful green plains of Orange Star were slowly being turned into desolate, blackened, bloody, dead chunks of earth.

"Grave, they're retreating for now. Let's head back to base." Kira spun around and headed for Marina Airbase. I fell into formation with Andrew behind her.

"Hakari…Are you feeling alright?" I couldn't see his face, and the radio made his voice sound gravelly. I didn't respond immediately.

"I can't handle all of this stress. Sooner or later I'm gonna snap. I just know it." He kept his plane in line with ours. Then he broke off and zoomed ahead.

"Hey, let's race back! Loser buys dinner!"

"Hey! I'm broke! Wait up!" Kira punched on the afterburners and sped on ahead to catch up with Andrew. Inside my helmet, I smiled.

A little fun was just what we needed now. Tomorrow we would go on the offensive, and our bodies would be put to the ultimate test.

**-Briefing-**

Well, this is it. We are finally ready to counterattack. So far we've been on the defensive, but our navy has been fully repaired and our ground forces have been organized. You are to provide top cover. Let's get to the details.

Border City used to be our major defensive line. However, because of Red Star's surprise air raid at dusk on January 26, we were forced to relocate to Port Marina. We will now reclaim our lost city.

The 1st Battalion will drive down the center of the enemy's troops and spearhead the invasion into Border. Once there, you three will provide top cover by destroying any sniper and AA positions. Our local resistance squad at Border is currently awaiting allied entry into the city. Be careful not to fire on them.

Once the 1st has entered the city, the 2nd and 3rd Battalions will clean up any enemies from Marina to Border. Once the city has been secured, return to base to refuel and rearm. You may be needed to assist the clean-up efforts.

Our navy will head due west along the coast until it is south of Border City. From there, it will rain supporting fire upon any enemies approaching Border. You may not need to fly cover for them, but be ready in case we call upon you. If you are called to aid the ships, land and refuel on our carrier, the Phoenix.

That is all. Operation Reclamation will begin at 0800 hours tomorrow.

**Blitz (Hakari)**

_Saturday, January 31, 2253; 8:00 A.M._

_Marina AB; 60W, 50S_

I remembered seeing the 1st Battalion drive out. Ten tanks, two AA guns, one artillery battery, no infantry. About 50 of the 2nd and 3rd Battalions were infantry. They would be the ones to clean up the remaining enemy forces.

I saw the ships that comprised the OS Navy. Phoenix; a carrier, Titan; a battleship, Gryphon; a destroyer, Hydra; a submarine, Dragon; a cruiser, and Goblin; an intelligence vessel. They all set sail as one, a veritable myth, an invincible team of a single mind. The commander of the ships was a woman named Isaki Drake. She was born in Orange Star, from a mother from Yellow Comet and a father from Green Earth. She had unwavering faith in President Nell and General Ford.

"Okay, we're all set. Angel 2, 3, and 4, begin take off!"

Kira, Andrew, and I took to the skies once more. Today the blue skies were clouded, showing signs of rain. Below us, Red Star was entrenched and ready to assault our defenses as well. With gray above, and red below, we dove down and scattered the men and vehicles with machine gun fire.

"Grave, Kid, the 1st is moving out! Cover them! I'll take care of the enemy positions!"

"Roger!" Andrew broke off and flew back towards the 1st. He went behind their position and turned. He would stay behind their advance and drop bombs on any enemy who tried to attack them from behind.

"Roger!" I flew over the advance. I was to deal with threats to either flank.

"This is AWACS Hawkeye. Angel Squadron, you've got five bogeys inbound. Repeat, five bogeys inbound. Coming from vector 150. They're bombers!"

"What? Where are their escorts?" Kira sighted one and began to attack it.

"Uh…Shit! Angel 2, you have to get out of there! There are 12 fighters inbound to your position!" Our AWACS was nervous. "Angel 2, those are just decoys!"

"Yeah…only a few bombs on them, too. Shit. Grave, Kid, release your bombs! Drop them on the enemy and prepare for air to air combat!"

"We're not suited for that! And the 1st!" I shouted as a tank below me exploded.

"Forget them! If we go down, so does Orange Star! Air superiority is crucial!" Kira spoke from years of experience. "We're the most versatile and deadly part of the Army! If we go down, Orange Star loses the capability to operate on land against Red Star! Shit!"

"Agh! Pickle, pickle!" Andrew dropped his two napalm shells to the left and right of the 1st. Enemies were burned and sent flying from the explosions.

"Dropping! Now!" I let go the scatter-bomb. It sent shrapnel all over the positions in front of the 1st. Five tanks and the artillery remained alive.

"Alright, Angel Squadron, engage!"

Three against twelve. I remembered seeing the face of the enemy pilot just before I erased his existence from the world. An emotionless façade of a pilot's helmet. I felt no emotion as he crashed into the ground.

**Demon of the Sky (Andrew)**

_Saturday, January 31, 2253; 8:20 A.M._

_Above 1st Battalion; 62W, 50S_

I remembered reading somewhere that long ago, there used to be a demon that lived in the clouds and sent them to destroy entire cities. It was dark, and its body and eyes were red, like the blood shed in the destruction it loved. The pictures were tattered and torn, and the book's pages were missing. I couldn't remember the title. But I saw the light. It came from…

A missile contrail streaked past me. The bandit behind me was very good, as his shots came uncomfortably close to my engines and cockpit.

"Damn, this one is tough! Grave, can you get him?"

"On him. Grave, Fox Two!"

I didn't look back, but my warning lights went off. But Hakari confirmed her kill.

I hadn't killed any fighters yet. Hakari and Kira had taken down four so far. Eight more prospective targets.

"Angel 4, Fox Two!" I shouted as the missile fell from my plane and rocketed at the oncoming foe. The explosion shattered his cockpit and instantly ended his life. The burning plane fell from the skies to add another crater to the dead ground.

"Leave. I'll take them. Get the ground units." That voice…I remembered it from the surprise attack. It was harsh. It was evil. The Red Star plane it came from had a single red dot in its cockpit. Azrael. The Demon Azrael. That was the dark red demon with the glowing red eyes. It faced the choir of angels in a match to the death.

"You'll all die, just like your friend back over the city. HELL AWAITS YOU!"

"You…" Kira growled and shot wildly at him. Bullets flew by his plane as he twisted and turned.

"He's an ace. No way we can beat him." I let my mind wander and saw my plane and Hakari's on the ground. I saw our dead faces, staring at each other. "Shit."

"Andrew, Grave, attack!" Kira was now the one in the crosshairs, desperately trying to avoid the demon's claws.

"…"

"…"

"Are you still-" Her plane caught on fire and spun out of control. "Captain…I…"

Kira's plane fell to the ground and splintered into raging balls of fire. Azrael only laughed and turned his red gaze to our helpless bodies.

"…" I said nothing. Below us, Orange Star forces were being pushed back, little by little. Above us, our AWACS screamed orders. In front of us, a red demon laughed and fired.


	6. Demon Slayer

**Chapter 6: Demon Slayer**

**Demon Slayer (Andrew)**

_Saturday, January 31, 2253; 8:25 A.M._

_Battlefield; 62W, 50S_

Below us, Orange Star forces were being pushed back, little by little. Above us, our AWACS screamed orders. In front of us, a red demon laughed and fired.

"Andrew, let's go."

"Right."

The spell binding us broke and we split off. Azrael went after me first. He followed me as I zigged and zagged through the clouds, dove down to graze the smoke of battle, and soared high to reach the clouds again. Hakari would cross my path and shoot at the red eye behind me. But it only infuriated the demon as he changed his gaze to the other angel.

"Hakari! Go!" My mouth was dry, my voice a whisper. I screamed but no sound came out. Bullets created miniature clouds of dust as I raced behind the demon, desperately shooting at his vulnerable tail of fire.

"Ngh!" Hakari pulled a flip and sped off towards Marina. The demon lost interest in the fleeing angel and turned to face me. I could only rasp a prayer as we flew towards oblivion.

Words formed on my lips, but I could no longer hear them. I wasn't afraid anymore. The demon flew towards me at 500 MPH in a jet that could rip mine to shreds. He fired deadly rounds of bullets at my body. But I wasn't afraid. He passed me, and fired engulfed my view. The darkness came, and my mind drifted…

I lay next to Hakari as we stared at the night sky. No clouds, no lights, just us. I looked over to her, and she looked back. We smiled together as the stars shone brightly overhead.

**Life (Hakari)**

_Saturday, January 31, 2253; 7:00 P.M._

_Marina AB; 60W, 50S_

Andrew didn't return from the battlefield. I didn't look back as the red plane attacked him. I didn't want to see him die. I was afraid…

I sat away from the lights, near the darkened hangar. The men of the base were drinking and talking loudly. We had completed our objectives, claiming Border City and establishing a new defensive line. But our ground forces were reduced to half of our original army, and two out of three planes down. Kira…Andrew…I was all alone once again.

"Captain Hachiyama, you shouldn't be out here like this." Sarah spoke softly, draping a blanket over me. "That's right, you're a captain now." She sat next to me and put her arm around me.

"Thanks…But now…I'm alone again."

"Hey, don't say that! You've got me!" She frowned and got up. She did her best too look imposing. Instead she looked like a cheerleader trying to do the splits and failing. I didn't care. Not now. Not when the dead were yet to be mourned.

"Hakari…" Sarah's downtrodden face mimicked mine. Someone from the medic tent called her over. She whispered a quiet "Good-bye", and left.

I sat back and looked at the book. It still had a faded cover and fading pages. I flipped through the pages until I found the last one with the ray of light. I almost dropped the book when I saw it.

As if by magic, the page now was colored in and words were freshly inked onto the page. I read the shiny black text in the dim light of the hangar.

"But then a ray of light pierced the cloud. The Azrael was shocked that such a preposterous thing could happen. What was this amazing miracle?

A young man stood sheltering a young woman from the dark cloud. His body showed signs of repeated cuts and bruises. His clothes were tattered and his face was beaten. But he sheltered the woman from the evil. The light came from his heart, and he sang."

I eagerly turned the page, but I only saw white. What was his song? Who? I looked back at the page, wondering if I was hallucinating. Again, the page was in strong colors and fine black ink. A miracle…

"Hey, Grave." A familiar voice. I looked up, and fainted.

_Sunday, February 1, 2253; 7:50 A.M._

_Marina Hospital; 60W, 50S_

My eyes opened slowly, sleepily. I mumbled a few incoherent groans and sat up. A plush hospital bed and white, blank walls were my immediate surroundings. To my left there was an open door. Nurses and patients walked or rolled by. To my right lay Andrew, his body covered in bandages. He snored loudly and tried to roll over, but his right leg was propped up in a cast, so he wiggled around for a bit.

Sarah entered and placed her hand gently on my head. She nodded and pulled out the IV. Andrew got a menacing glare. Sarah poked him in the arm with her finger, and then slapped him. He got up with a startled yelp of pain, and quickly oriented himself to his proper position.

"Hey you perv, wake up!" She then proceeded to check his bandaged body parts. "Almost lost your manhood in the crash; too bad." She squeezed his right arm and he winced.

"I only touched her wrist!" He blurted out, which caused Sarah to slap him again. "Okay, okay…so I touched her butt. It felt warm and soft!"

I touched my backside and picked up my pillow. "Is his head tender?"

"Kind of…He's hard-headed."

"Hmm. How about his goods?"

"Tender."

"Good." I smashed the pillow into his groin, which immediately caused him to tense up in horrible pain. "Serves you right, you pervert."

"Ouch…" Andrew squeaked and slowly loosened his left arm, the only good one. He flashed a victory sign, but his jaw was clamped shut. It looked weird.

"You'll take care of him, won't you?"

"Oh, he'll be fine. Despite your little beating and my carefully timed slaps, he'll be back in good shape by the end of the week. It's quite amazing how he managed to survive that crash. And what's more amazing is he was able to _walk_ out of it alive." She pointed to his various bandaged body parts. "Must be some sort of perv thing."

"Well, he's a nice guy, really. Just can't resist my charm, can't you?" I smiled at his wounded body. I quickly clenched my fists and held one towards him. The room turned dark and I became a fiery avatar of evil. "Touch my ass again and you'll wish I was never born." I swear he shrank back in fear.

"See ya!" I jovially left to get my things. The room lightened and I became the beautiful young maiden again.

Andrew groaned and rolled around. "Remind me never to piss off a woman again."

**New Chapters (Hakari)**

_Sunday, February 1, 2253; 9:40 A.M._

_Marina Barracks; 60W, 50S_

The crew room was empty today. Probably because many of the soldiers were moving to re-occupy Border City. I didn't care. I needed to look at my old, beaten book again. I lay down on the sofa, and pulled the book out of my pocket. Now the cover glinted a little. Gold trim had been placed around the edges of the covers. The pages inside were fresh and clean, and the pictures crisp and sharp. The words almost came to life, leaping from the page in brilliant boldness. Once again, the last page with anything on it was the one with a young man sheltering a young woman from the dark evil.

"A young man stood sheltering a young woman from the dark cloud. His body showed signs of repeated cuts and bruises. His clothes were tattered and his face was beaten. But he sheltered the woman from the evil. The light came from his heart, and he sang."

"What song…?" I wondered softly, and then got off the sofa. It was now time for me to get my own things ready to ship out. In one week, our next big mission would begin.

**Counter Strike (Andrew)**

_Monday, February 8, 2253; 8:35 A.M._

_Border AB; 80W, 50S_

General Gregory Ford himself appeared to brief us on the situation.

"Welcome, brave warriors of the land and air. Today we begin one of the most important and crucial operations of the war. Today is the day that we will counter attack Red Star. So far we have been on the defensive, and it has cost us many lives. But we cannot let Red Star claim victory. It is imperative that we deal a blow to their pride. Let's begin.

Here is Border City. The nearest enemy base is Bradley, a former facility of ours. Bradley used to house an entire ground-battalion. Therefore we expected the enemy to equip it as such. That is not so. They have added an airfield there, allowing Red Star to send bombers and fighters to our positions and keep the pressure on us easily.

The 1st Mechanized Battalion will advance directly upon the enemy nest. It will be tough, so I'll require that you two pilots will be able to provide direct air cover for them. Also, the 2nd and 3rd Infantry Battalions will attack from flanking positions to the NE and SE. It is crucial that they capture the facilities before the 1st can enter the base. The enemy has set up a new weapon known as an Electro-Magnetic-Shield, which is capable of forming a protective barrier around an object using a picket fence of EM generators. This will cause any mechanical unit that touches it to become immobile. Pilots, be very careful upon entering the airspace.

Our navy will provide supporting fire. Major Timothy Bakers will give the coordinates and lead the 2nd. Lieutenant Colonel Ian Lord will command the 1st. Lieutenant General Cory Jacks will lead the 3rd. Captain Hakari Hachiyama will lead Angel Team to victory. Isaki Drake, I expect you will be ready to fire upon request?"

All of the commanders barked a simultaneous "Roger!"

"Good. Dismissed!"

The hangar had a surprise for us.

"New planes?" I looked at the beautiful new planes parked in the hangar.

"Yup. Multi-role fighter class F-18M. Used for both sea and land operations by Orange Star in the last war. Most of them were kept in storage or destroyed, but these two babies were found just five days ago. They're all fixed and ready to fly." Colonel Roberts patted me on the back.

"Good luck. You'll need it out there. That Red Star plane you almost killed is known as the Bloody Eagle. Keep your guard up around him. Your plane is a good match for his, but he's got the skills of a war veteran. He likes to go for the kill with another pilot, so you'll have to stay alert." He walked away with those words.

"Andrew. It's time. Let's go." Hakari was unusually stern. Maybe because I copped a feel when she was unconscious. Of course, it was just there in front of me, so…

I'll never wash my left hand again.


	7. Turning Point

**Chapter 7: Turning Point**

**Battle Once More (Hakari)**

_Monday, February 8, 2253; 12:50 P.M._

_Near Bradley Military Installation; 104.5W, 49S_

"Andrew, you ready?"

"Ready, Captain."

"You don't have to call me that." He had been calling me "Captain" ever since we left Border City. Mostly out of respect, but being called a rank didn't mean much to me. "Just 'Grave', okay?"

He didn't respond immediately. "Then what's my nickname?"

"Perv. I smiled in my helmet."

"Hey! What kind of—?"

"Cut the chatter you two. This is Hawkeye. We're ready to commence the attack. The 1st is currently attacking the facility from a distance of two miles. If they advance within one mile of the base, they'll be fried by the EM shield. Use your long-range pierce bombs to provide some support."

Some coordinates appeared on my radar.

"Vector 270, five miles. Release now!"

"Roger, bombs away!" I depressed the trigger and sent an orange contrail streaking towards the base. The satisfactory explosion and confirmation from Hawkeye only made me feel sicker. Something was coming…

Hawkeye noticed it first. "Dammit! We got four high-speed bogeys inbound! From vector 280…It's the Bloody Eagle!"

"This is Eagle to Predator Squadron. Falcon, Kestrel, take the leader. Buzzard, bomb them. I'll handle the wingman. Got a score to settle."

"You hear that, little angels? We're gonna strip you of your wings!" A cocky, raspy voice sounded over our radars. These Red Star pilots were bold. Aces. Leagues above our skills could handle.

"Take 'em." I readied the two AA missiles and checked my special AA weapon. Orange Star's homing missile wasn't very modern, but if I could just fire one, then there would be one less enemy to worry about.

"Roger, Captain."

Four Red Star planes flew and broke off into three groups. The bomber never saw me coming.

**Slayer Once More (Andrew)**

_Monday, February 8, 2253; 1:00 P.M._

_Near Bradley Military Installation; 104.5W, 49S_

Hakari practically flew through the enemy bomber and ripped him to shreds. I remembered it looked like the other three, but had many bombs and moved slower. But now Hakari had to rely on machine guns and OS's rather limited radar guided missile. I still had my homing missile ready, and it was hungry for blood.

"Okay, let's see what you got!"

Breaking and turning from my foe's sight, I split off and headed for the 1st. I saw them move forward and turned south. The Eagle was keeping up; good. A 180 now, flying up and twisting into a corkscrew. Back towards the 1st.

"You can't do that forever! Your little…Holy Stars!" The entire base rippled with explosions. I noticed the 2nd and 3rd were swarming the place. The ground battle was over, but now the predator behind me only grew fiercer.

"This…this will be your end." He began to fly erratically upwards and disappeared into a cloud.

"What is he doing?" I braked hard and flipped towards the ground. Only a few hundred feet separated the bottom of my plane with dusty rocks and craters. I saw Hakari down another enemy. One left for each of us.

"Fool! Now you die!" The Bloody Eagle came zooming straight down, firing his guns and missiles rapidly. As if he would hit me. Easy to dodge, simply bank left, bank right, up, down, back up to the sky…and then he was directly in front of me.

"Hpmh. I have no interest in weaklings. Begone!"

"What in the world?" I shook in fear at the demon in front of me. His body glowed bright red and the sun began to fade. "This…what is this?"

"I don't know! It's some sort of magic trick!" Hakari fenced and chased her foe around in circles. The enemy seemed to be very much afraid, even with his leader's amazing power.

Power. CO Power. Wait!

I felt something come from my deepest belly and up through my throat. Not a scream. Not a prayer. Not a song. A command.

"I will not lose." Missiles and gunfire struck my plane and created deadly rips and tears. Tears that vanished instantly. "Hyper Upgrade!"

"Impossible! You can't be! He's!"

The Eagle's plane burst into flames and fell from the sky. I saw the burning wreckage. It didn't matter if he survived. Not now. Now there was something else to worry about. My own survival.

The ground approached ever so close, creating black shadows upon my vision. But I felt…warm.

**Recovery Once More (Andrew)**

_Wednesday, February 10, 2253; 10:00 A.M._

_Border Hospital; 80W, 50S_

I woke up in the hospital. I simply lay in a bed, no machines, no IV, just a head lying next to mine. Hakari was snoring and drooling on my pillow. She was hunched over, and her arms made an excellent pillow. She mumbled something and continued to drool. It was gross.

A familiar nurse walked in. She was the one from Marina. Sarah gently tapped Hakari on her shoulder, which failed to wake the snoring beauty. Then she slapped Hakari across the back of her head, which instantly made Hakari snap to attention and blurt out:

"Captain Hakari Hachiyama, reporting for duty, sir!"

She saluted and stiffened. Then she slumped over and fell to the ground, snoring again. I chuckled.

"She's been here for a whole day now. Worried sick about you." Sarah gently picked up Hakari. "Help me with her. Don't touch anything you're not supposed to."

"Eh heh. Right." I grinned and shouldered Hakari. The three of us managed to get her outside on one of the chairs.

"Hey, you better change. General Ford wishes to speak with you."

**History Lesson Once More (Andrew)**

_Wednesday, February 10, 2253; 11:13 A.M._

_Border Military HQ; 80W, 50S_

"Welcome, Mr. Andrews. I've been expecting you." General Ford gave me a chair and sat down on the opposite end of the table. We sat in a little tent created to the east of Border City. President Nell and Hakari entered, Nell sat to the left of General Ford, Hakari to my right.

"As you may be aware of, Mr. Andrews, our operation was a success. We dealt a severe blow to Red Star and we can now begin further operations to strike at their key military positions." General Ford sat motionless, his eyes glaring at me from under his military hat. "But we also have an unexpected surprise. Four Red Star aces killed with only one of our planes down. I have to thank Ms. Hakari for her excellent flying abilities, but Mr. Andrews; this is not why we are here."

I wondered if this had to do with me blacking out after killing The Bloody Eagle.

"We are here because you are special Mr. Andrews, special indeed." He shuffled through some papers and slid them over to me. On the topmost sheet a faded, browning picture of a young boy, a burly man, a young woman, and a tall woman in a military clothes stood posing. The young man held a wrench, the young woman a machine gun.

"250 years ago, Wars World lost almost all records of a great battle. This is the only document to date that has been recovered. It explains in great detail how the world rallied together to defeat a foe as powerful as to destroy all that existed. Four countries, Orange Star, Blue Moon, Yellow Comet, and Green Earth, fought side-by-side and defeated the darkness, which retreated."

President Nell spoke up. "But as the documents reveal, one month later, the world was enveloped by a dark shadow. What was noted as a cloud became a torrential downpour of death and destruction upon the land."

I tenderly leafed through the aging documents, and saw a dark cloud striking a city down with red beams.

"The people named this dark cloud the Azrael." Hakari stared at the picture and rasped the words in awe. She pulled out a book with gold linings. Inside, there was a picture of a demon being repelled by a powerful light.

"I see now. This little history lesson is turning out to be full of surprises." General Ford rose to his feet. "Captain Andrews, Captain Hachiyama, as leader of the Orange Star Army, I now promote you to COs. I am sure you will discover your powers soon enough."

Both of us stared at him in complete disbelief.

"You will see, just keep on fighting, and it will come to you." He smiled. "Right now, you two surpass me in ability. I am only a general through my prowess and strategic maneuvers. President Nell has been elected by the people. You two have powers that we cannot even begin to wield."

"Hyper Upgrade…" I muttered and thought back to the battle.

"A power used by CO Andy of Orange Star. It's in the dossiers. Please, review them over. You may find something that we have missed. You are now dismissed!" President Nell and the General saluted, and left.

Hakari and I sat silently together, trying to piece together what had just happened. Together, we turned the pages of time…


	8. War Forever

**Chapter 8: War Forever?**

**Dark Invasion (Andrew)**

I don't know the time anymore. I don't know where I am. Hakari and I are lost amongst the sounds of battle and destruction. Orange Star has been stepping up its attacks lately, driving deeper into Red Star. We may attack the cities soon. I don't want to see anymore people die. Wasn't the Great War enough to sate the world's bloodlust forever? What's happening at the top? Who's in charge? I need to know the truth here…

_March 3, 2253; 0550 hours_

_OS Border City HQ; 80W, 50S_

I sat in the shadows as Red Star troops ran around in their search for us. Red Star had infiltrated the HQ thirty minutes earlier. Fifty men took over 500 square feet of Orange Star land 1500 miles from the front lines. Absurd, impossible, and totally not happening.

Hakari shivered behind me, as David and Colonel Roberts tended to Lieutenant Colonel Timothy Bakers' leg wound. Nothing serious, but the LC would need some time to rest. I held a Class 3 Magnum, a powerful handgun issued to high-ranking officers. Like COs of the army. Hakari's lay on the ground in front of her, bullets and clips scattered everywhere after futile attempts to reload. Eight shots per clip, five clips per gun. I peeked around the corner and saw four RS men chat idly. In the distance, explosions and bright lights indicated the HQ was being attacked.

"Shit. Now what do we do? Red Star is gonna take out our main source of morale!" I groaned and sat back down. Colonel Roberts peeked out of the alley. He ducked back and whispered in my ear.

"Aim for the barrels near the food cart. One shot only. They'll get close or investigate the barrels, either way, shoot them. I'll cover you." He held up his handgun. "Now!"

I turned and shot the barrels, sending them toppling over. The soldiers turned towards the barrels with their guns ready. It took two seconds to kill all four.

"Easy. Get their guns, and let's move!" Roberts ducked behind the empty food carts and crates, swiping the fallen soldiers' guns, then led the five of us. Hakari and David helped the LC.

Now the HQ gates appeared in the dim sunlight. Sunrise was coming, and the battle still raged. Blood, glass, bullets, shrapnel, bodies lay everywhere. I had never seen so many faces that looked the same, but belonged to different nations. All their faces were obscured by the shadows. I never saw the pure horror on their faces.

Ten RS commandos were firing upon a pile of crates and a wall. They never knew what hit them. Roberts and I checked the bodies and went over to the crates and wall. Behind them lay four OS soldiers, and one medic. The medic was leaning over a body. He sadly shook his head and turned towards us, blood covering his face and fatigues, his eyes shining in the dark.

"General Ford…is dead."

_March 3, 2253; 1100 hours_

_OS Capital, Liberty; 50W, 45S_

General Gregory Ford was laid to rest today. His body descended into the ground and was covered by cold dirt. Orange Star had lost its finest commander. In retaliation, President Nell issued an order to the OS Army, giving the new commander, General Scott Marvins, full authority to expand the war to the west. This meant that the cities on the west coast of Red Star would face heavy casualties. General Ford deliberately left the western front open to avoid too many civilian losses. Now the war would never end…

**Conspiracy (Hakari)**

_March 4, 2253; 600 hours_

_OS Capital, Liberty; 50W, 45S_

Colonel Roberts and Andrew stood facing me behind the hangar. They had chased me this far, and wouldn't let me go. The truth that had to be told was too much. This is impossible. I want to scream, but I can't.

"Hakari, you have to believe us! I know it's outrageous, but Orange Star is no longer safe! We have to get out of here!" Andrew's face told me that the truth was difficult for him to embrace as well. "I don't know what to think but to leave now!"

"You've got no choice. These documents tell everything. That book, along with your dossiers from Ford, proves that this war is nothing but a hoax to create eternal conflict. It will devour this world sooner or later." Roberts' was serious. His aged face lined with anger and the truth, he spoke words that came from his heart. "If you cannot believe us, then we have no choice."

He pulled out his Class 3 and aimed it at my head. Andrew stood by, his gun ready as well.

"This involves the whole world! Someone wants eternal war. COs and people who have the ability to see the shadows are going to be exterminated! Hakari!" Roberts' pleading eyes were covered by the barrel of his gun. "I don't want to hurt you."

"What can I believe? All that you've told me? This doesn't—!"

"There they are! Kill them!" An Orange Star soldier pulled out his rifle, but Roberts ended his life before he could even shoulder it and aim.

"Shit. Hakari, get in your plane and go! Andrew, get in the back! One is enough! Just get to Haven, on the Seraph's Crossing! Go!" He pulled the dead soldier's rifle from his body and began to fire upon the advancing troops. David pulled us into the hangar and shoved us into my fighter jet.

"Get going! We'll hold—!" He slumped over, blood spewing from his back, and his body slid down the side of the nose. I pushed the throttle all the way, letting the angelic wings of the plane lift us to safety.

**Conspiracy (Roberts)**

My body felt tired. There were too many for me to stop. The white angel soared into the sky, and I surrendered. I had done all I could. I just wanted to rest…My fingers slid from the grenade, and the pin fell to the ground.

**Conspiracy (Isaki Drake)**

"President Nell contacted me about the traitors. I cannot send out any of my ships to find them, General Marvins. Send out someone else." I turned off the screen, reducing the distraught leader's face to a mere white blink. Roberts was right…

"All ships, prepare to leave port! Titan, Gryphon, Dragon, Hydra, Goblin, follow the Phoenix! We are leaving port!"

"Uh, are you sure we're allowed to…" The young officer beside me was silenced by the voices from the radio.

"We're with you, Admiral Drake!" The captain of the Titan chipped in, as the mighty battleship began to move into the open seas, followed by the Gryphon and Dragon. The Goblin was now ahead of them, but the Hydra was still stuck in port.

"This is the Hydra; we are under heavy ground fire! We're gonna dive now!" The submarine dived below the surface just before a tank shell exploded on the water's surface.

"Admiral, Orange Star planes behind us! We have no carrier jets!"

"Hydra, you get ready to surface in ten seconds! Everyone else, hang on! It's time they sampled a little natural disaster! Tsunami!"

Gigantic waves leapt from the sea and smashed the port and the airplanes. Hydra surfaced and began to fall into formation.

"Admiral Isaki, we will protect you with our lives." Cheers resonated from the crews of the ships. I was expecting to be alone in my quest for the truth. Now I had people I could trust to help me.

"Everyone…we are no longer citizens of any country in this world. The world is no longer safe for us. There is a force out there who wants to keep us from knowing the truth about this war and the Great War." I spoke to all the ships as we sailed south. "If you do not believe that I am right; that I am not trying to lead you astray; that I am the wrong hands in which to place your life, please, leave now. I do not wish for any more death than is necessary."

No one moved, and we sailed on. White paint would now decorate the sides of the ships, and angel wings will shine brightly to all who sighted us. Roberts was such a myth freak. But then again, the Seraphims were a group of angels said to bring truth and justice to the world.

**Conspiracy (?)**

"I'm well aware of the situation, my Lord." President Nell's face on the telescreen showed me that she was afraid. Afraid that a simple construct such as her could not comprehend the master plan I had created.

"Not to worry, Blue Moon will handle our little seraph. You should continue on with your war. Continue to blind the people with the excitement and energy that emanate from it. We are closer than we ever were, even 50 years ago." I smiled and turned off the screen. I flicked another switch to open the Blue Moon channel.

"Do you have the area covered?"

"Yes, my Lord." A fat man with a beard stared at me with cold eyes. "The AA emplacements are sure to see them and clip their little angel wings."

"Good. You may kill the man, but keep the female untouched. She is necessary to uncovering the ancient secrets."

"Yes, my Lord." The fat one bowed and his screen went black.

"Roberts…Roberts, Roberts. Did you really think that you could stop me?"

"You piece of—!" Roberts was held down by some of my strongest soldiers. He showed signs of severe beatings, and bled from several bullet wounds.

"I thought you would be more…_thankful_. I gave you your horrible life, and I can take it away." I sneered and kicked him in the stomach. "Kill him and get another ready. Our plan cannot fail this time."


End file.
